Hamburg Airport successfully completed the first part of the large-scale runway renovation in the middle of last week. Runway 05/23 (Niendorf/Langenhorn) now has a renewed top layer.

The project is now in the "half-time break", because after the busy summer holidays in 2023, runway 15/23 (Norderstedt/Alsterdorf) will also be renewed. This is expected to be closed between August 30 and September 27, 2023. The flights are then routed via the recently renovated 05/23. When the work is fully completed, fewer short-term runway maintenance measures are expected to be required in subsequent years.

"The construction work on runway 05/23 (Niendorf/Langenhorn) went according to plan, so we were able to end the closure of the runway on time," says Martin Borstelmann, civil engineering project manager at Hamburg Airport. "In September, i.e. after the summer holidays, the same work will be done on the other runway: Then we will renew the top surface layer of runway 15/33 (Norderstedt/Alsterdorf). Night work will probably be necessary again because we have to work again on the runway intersection, i.e. the interface between the two runways. We cannot close the runway junction during the day, as there always has to be a runway available for flight operations.”

Five-day slope closure in July including approved night work

Further preparatory maintenance measures are necessary before the 28-day runway closure in September 2023. For this purpose, runway 15/33 (Norderstedt/Alsterdorf) will probably be closed for five days from July 3rd to 7th, 2023. Here, too, work is required on the slope crossing. These must take place at night so that there is always a runway available for flight operations from 6 a.m. to 23 p.m. The competent authority has issued a special permit for night work, which includes clear specifications for permitted work and noise protection.

EASA requirements require regular monitoring

Some time ago, the EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) specified and increased its safety requirements for airport runways. Closer observation and a higher reaction speed when deficiencies are identified are required. As in the previous year, further daytime closures are necessary for this reason, which are used, among other things, for important work on the electrical infrastructure (e.g. on the lighting of the runway system). The work is always scheduled at short notice - depending on the weather and necessity - and announced on the Hamburg Airport website.